Nut-lock.



PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

W. G. MATTBSON.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DE0.27,11906.

lwue/wboz lath: 5011 mm L; Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER G. MATTESON, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E.J. MATTESON, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed December 27,1906. Serial No. 349,644.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER C. MATTEsoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Stockton, county of San Joaquin, State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut- Locks; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and the characters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in nut-locks and is particularlydirected to the nuts used in railway construction, the main object ofthe invention being to produce a simple and positive lock for all thenuts on each fish plate joint in the building of rail-roads.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by means of a tensionspring wire adapted to be so arranged over the nuts after they arescrewed up in such manner as to lock said nuts in position. Also a meanswhereby the same may easily be unlocked when desired. Further, by suchother construction as will appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint showing the complete deviceinstalled thereon. Fig. 2 is a view of a tension spring wire. Fig. 3 isa plan view of a metal plate used as will appear. Fig. 4 is a view ofanother metal plate used in the device. Fig. 5 is an end elevation ofthe plate shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the plate shownin Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the plate shown in Fig. 3.

l-designates a rail and 2 the usual fish plate.

3 designates the usual bolts and 4 the nuts mounted thereon.

Encircling one of the end bolts 3 is a plate 5 provided at its outer endwith a lip 6 curving inwardly over the plate, as shown for the purposeas will appear. Encircling the other end bolt is a similar plate 7provided at its outer end with an upwardly extending tongue 8 providedwith two holes 9 disposed in a line with the upper and lower sides ofthe nuts 4. Said tongue 8 is also provided with an outwardly curved lip10 adapted to rest byits free edge against the fish plate 2 and thus actas a brace and preventing the tongue 8 from being bent outwardly for thepurpose as will appear.

11 is a substantially U-shaped tension spring wire provided with acenter cross brace 12, the closed end of the said spring wire beingdesignated on the drawing as 13.

In practice the plates 5 and 7 are placed in their respective positionsand when the nuts 4 are screwed up to the required position the openends of the spring wire 11 are inserted in the holes 9 and the closedend inserted under the lip 6, which is sufficiently yieldable to permitthis action. The sides of said spring wire when thus arranged are inalinement with the tops and bottoms of the said nuts. The lip 6 is thenclosed by any suitable implement over the closed end 13 of the wiremember thus locking the said spring wire in position, and incidentalthereto, as is apparent, the nuts 4 are locked in position and preventedfrom moving laterally in respect to the bolts 3. The lip 10 serves as abrace and effectually prevents the tongue 8 from beingbent outwardly,and releasing the open ends of the spring wire 11 which, as is apparent,would render the device ineffectual and inoperative. Thus it will beseen I have invented a new locking device for nuts which is exceedinglyeffectual in all respects and invaluable when used on nuts used inconnection with fish plate joints.

While this description sets forth in detail the present construction ofthe device modifications within the scope of the appended claims may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the device, what I claim as new and useful, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A nut lock comprising twoplates having apertures to bear over bolts spaced apart, one of saidplates having a yieldable lip extending from one side and curvinginwardly over the plate and the other plate provided with a lateralprojection having spaced transverse apertures and with a lip extendingfrom the projection outwardly and bent to cause its free edge to comeflush with the inner face of the plate, to bear against the structurewhich supports the said plate and to form a brace to the projection, anda U-shaped locking device adapted to be inserted by its free endsthrough the apertures of the projection of one of said plates and withits closed end inserted beneath the inwardly extending yieldable lip ofthe other plate and secured thereto by bending the yieldable lip overthe locking device, said locking device adapted to bear by its spacedsides against the sides of the nuts carried by said bolts.

2. The combination with a railway rail joint including the abutting endsof the rails, a fish plate and a plurality of spaced transverse clampbolts having nuts thereon, of a locking means for the nuts comprisingtwo plates having apertures and bearing over the outer bolts, one ofsaid 1 projection and with its closed end inserted beneath the 10 plateshaving a lip projecting from one side and curving inwardly over theplate, and the other plate having a lateral projection provided withspaced transverse apertures and with a lip extending outwardly therefromand hearing by its free edge against the fish plate, and a lockingdevice comprising a U-shaped member adapted to bear by its spaced sidesagainst the sides of the several nuts and with its free ends insertedthrough the apertures in the inwardly curving lip of the other plate andsecured in place by bending the lip against the adjacent nut.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER C. MATTESON.

Witnesses PERCY S. WEBSTER, Josmm B. WEBSTER.

